We were having dinner and she was eating slowly as usual.
Another few mouthfuls and I will be done, so I started to pick up my phone and watch Tik Tok. That’s when she posted me the question: “Mummy, why some children play handphones while eating?”
“Huh?” I replied.
“Mummy, some children play with handphones when eating. But I didn’t play with phone, I just eat. But some children their daddy mummy let them play with phone when eating.” She repeated herself and further explained.
I was stunned for a moment, and my mind started flashing back to some old memories.
I remembered how I used to condemn parents for letting their kids watch videos while feeding them, before I delivered.
I remembered how I “gave in to fate” and let her watch videos during meal times so Kpo Kia papa and I can have a proper meal, when she was around 1 or 2 years old.
I remembered it’s my turn to be condemned by others for letting her watching videos. And the guilt makes me removed her screen time during meal time.
I remembered how she loves meeting up with my friends who let their kids watch videos during mealtimes. So she can enjoy her screen time.
I remembered how Kpo Kia Papa and I had been using our handphone during mealtimes, yet I keep stopping her from looking into our handphone screens.
“Sorry, I am a bad model.” I reflected and apologised. I flipped my phone over and started to coax her into finishing her meal.
Sometimes, our kids taught us to reflect on our own behaviour.
